Biomaterials to advance tissue replacement therapies
Tissue engineering holds great promise as a novel approach to compensatingthat can compensate for limitations in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. To overcome the disadvantages of currently used cardiovascular prostheses, tissue engineered from a patient's own cells that can grow and replace defective tissue may be the answer. The 'Intelligent biomaterial systems for cardiovascular tissue repair' (Biosys) project set out to develop new intelligent biomaterial systems with properties not yet available in Europe or elsewhere. The EU-funded project focused on achieving development of the first biomaterial with controllable biodegradability and improved biocompatibility. Fibre production and optimisation were carried out at various partner institutes. At one, wet-spun, electro-spun and melt-spun fibres from polylactic acid (PLA) were produced with key requirements provided byfulfilled in terms of medical, mechanical and structural properties. A particular study aim was to produce fibres as fine as possible for use in the project's intended textile and device manufacturing activities. Partners succeeded in producing, characterising and analysing fairly fine fibres. Their greater strength and strength retention ability, in comparison to wet-spun fibres, led to their election for use as constructive fibres for the cardiovascular graft. Solvents and coagulants were chosen for spinning experiments aimed at investigating wet-spun fibres. Team members produced wet-spun fibres with different fibre properties, which were then analysed and characterised. Biosys Other progress made included the study also explored of fibre modification by adding bio molecules into the fibres, and the used of electrospinning to coat moulded 3D heart- valve implants made from non-woven mesh. The results of the project could be transferred to other medical fields for long-term innovation.
